Pioneers in the watch industry will remember the time when French companies were represented by nearly 100 exhibitors at the Basel fair. It was back in 1975, before the crisis that devastated the industry, an industry that was not at all prepared for the shock caused by Asian competition. At the beginning of the 1970s, the Basel fair’s organizers opened their doors to European companies. The infatuation was immediate and watchmakers from the neighbouring nation rushed to the Swiss city.
Since then, a lot of water has flowed under the bridges of the Rhine River, and with it a lot of exhibitors that we will never see again. During the latest edition of BaselWorld, there were only 20 manufacturers from France, all members of the Chambre Française de l’Horlogerie. Among them were four producers of component parts and one company that makes straps. The 15 other exhibitors were watch producers, some of which produce fashion timepieces under license with labels such as Guy Laroche, Cacharel and Paco Rabanne, among others. We are not concerned here, however, with the luxury brands from the Place Vendôme such as Dior, Chanel, or Hermès, which manufacture their watches in Switzerland. As for the other component parts makers in France, they prefer to exhibit at the EPHJ show in Lausanne, which is held in June.
At BaselWorld, the French brands had stands that were modest and average in size. In the Mammon of global timekeeping, the Swiss enjoyed the best places. This is, above all, a question of money. As soon as the visitor passes the entrance, he or she is captivated by the magnificence of the ‘palaces’ dedicated to the glory of Patek Philippe, Rolex, and a few others. The vision offered is one of reconstructed antiquity, in a Las Vegas décor. The ‘beautiful people’ are there to see and be seen, and this year, Paris Hilton made a much-publicized appearance. But no one seems to regret the money spent along the banks of the Rhine. BaselWorld is a Must. And, generally, everyone was happy.
As for the results, Catherine Lebret, of the company B Plus (Beuchat, Serge Blanco, Dunlop, etc.), is delighted. “We have had good results for now. We have made good contacts with international players, notably with Spain and Italy. BaselWorld has become imperative for us. It is the most import-ant fair in the world.†The B Plus stand, with a surface of 30 square metres, was relatively modest. “We hope to be able to increase our exhibition space to 60 square metres next year, on two levels rather than only one,†affirms Lebret. Even if small, a company seems larger with a second floor. The buyers have to see it, at least it is necessary to show them that the company is growing from year to year.




Beuchat, Aigle, Pierre Lannier, Ted Lapidus



Régnier, Saint-Honoré, BRM


Pierre Burgun, Director of the company Pierre Lannier (Pierre Lannier, Aigle, Vuarnet, etc.), indicates that his company had a “very good show†, adding, “We had a 20 percent increase in business at BaselWorld as compared to the previous year. The numbers are good, in keeping with the general trend, which has been up since the end of last year. Our presence at BaselWorld allows us to realize 30 percent of our exports. Therefore, it is a very good barometer for the rest of the year. We have dealt with all the continents, in particular the countries of Eastern Europe, not only Russia, but also Latvia and Lithuania, which are doing well.†In 2007, Pierre Lannier inaugurated a new stand “in order give a new image to the brand,†explains Burgun. But this came with a price: 400,000 euros. The company is a loyal exhibitor at BaselWorld, with a presence dating back 30 years. Its watch price range is relatively low, between 59 and 159 euros, even though some of their clients are looking for things even less expens-ive. “We sell a spirit, a French Touch,†adds Pierre Burgun.
A decade ago, Alban Chaumet was 20 years old. Then, he used to accompany his father, Alain, to the international watch fair in Basel. Today, Alban is Managing Director of the company TWC (Clyda, Thierry Mugler, Lapidus, etc.). “BaselWorld has nothing in common with what I saw when I came to Basel the first few times,†says the young entrepreneur. At that time, clients came to make purchases for six months. Today, TWC proposes, besides the Clyda brand, a number of collections of fashion watches produced under license. “We also assure the distribution, in partnership with the Swiss Movado Group, of the brands Tommy Hilfiger, Hugo Boss and Lacoste.†Business is good for TWC, as seen in the new stand the French company inaugurated at BaselWorld 2007.
Both young and old in the watch business, Régnier Paris, of Charquemont in the French department of the Doubs, began in 2004 with a new entity, which was constructed upon an older brand. Its Director, Philippe Barro, is somewhat less enthusiastic than his colleagues. “We recorded growth of 23 percent at BaselWorld in relation to 2006, but we would have liked more, since we have resolutely turned our attention toward the inter-national marketplace. What is surprising is the origin of our clients: Libya, Bangladesh, Iran.†But, he adds, BaselWorld remains more than ever “indispensable†for Régnier Paris, which also produces diamond-set watches, and whose prices range from 200 to 5,000 euros. “Without a doubt, we are not yet well enough known,†adds Philippe Barro.
Thierry Frésard, Director of the Saint-Honoré brand is totally happy. “Our turnover at BaselWorld increased 50 percent compared to last year,†he says joyfully. “We have enjoyed double-digit growth for several months now. The largest difficulty at this time is procuring supplies.†Saint-Honoré spent a lot of money to be at BaselWorld: 100,000 euros for the location and 300,000 euros for the construction and dismantling of the stand. But what would a watch brand not do to be able to participate in the Cannes Festival for watches? Especially when econ-omic conditions are so favourable? Saint-Honoré benefits notably from a trendy and prestigious product, its tourbillon, sold at prices up to 70,000 euros, while the normal range is between 1500 and 2000 euros. The clients at BaselWorld have the means to buy. “We sold a dozen tourbillon watches in 2007 at BaselWorld,†adds Thierry Frésard.
The tourbillon in BaselWorld shows another aspect of the show: its high life. As at Cannes, the chic and relaxed receptions are organized after the show closes. “There are evenings,†confirms Catherine Lebret of B Plus, “when we go out with our competitors for a dinner or other functions. This is very nice.†The Basel by Night scene is the festive reunion of people who otherwise would only think of taking market share from their competitors. But all is not merely a fun social life along the Rhine. There are watchmakers who appreciate more simple pleasures: having a beer, for example, in the evening under the stars, with other watch aficionados.
Among the French exhibitors, you find a certain sense of fraternity and solidarity. “We are already so few that if, in addition, we did not get along, we would not go very far,†notes Pierre Burgun, Director of Pierre Lannier. Some among the group prefer to spend the nights in the Alsace region during the fair. This is the case of Bernard Richards, owner of the brand, BRM. “We eat well and we sleep well in Alsace. We stuff ourselves like pigs, without spending too much,†he adds happily. For him, BaselWorld is “a delight, a lovely place, and people are nice.†Business is also good, with the fair accounting for 50 percent of BRM’s turnover. Not bad, considering that this is only the third year that BRM has exhibited at BaselWorld. “We sold about 100 pieces of our latest model, the Birotor, whose most expensive version sells for 110,000 euros. We have also made 200 copies of a watch with a power reserve selling for a public price of 17,000 euros.†BRM has benefited mainly from orders coming from Asia and the Ukraine.
After several years of problems, French watchmaking is getting its colour and energy back. New and enlarged stands, stated ambitions, and encouraging numbers all indicate that the harvest from BaselWorld 2007 looks promising.


Source: Europa Star June-July 2007 Magazine Issue